There are many people in the world deserving of sympathy at the moment, readers, but spare a thought in your busy day for Scotland’s Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain.
Just two and a half years into the post (most incumbents post-devolution have served around five), she’s already had to deal with a lot of what sports people call “hospital passes”. But she’s about to find herself in another nasty spot not of her own making.
On Tuesday 16th January the UK parliament put beyond doubt that their claims down the centuries that the UK is a respectful union of equals is, and always was, a lie.
This was the second time I’d brought my Scotland (Self-Determination) Bill before the house and there are various opinions floating around about the reasons for, and implications of, introducing the legislation as drafted. Wings kindly suggested I set out my reasons for bringing it forward for a second time, and why I consider Tuesday’s defeat in the chamber as a Pyrrhic victory for the union.
We make no apology for returning once again to the depressing subject of the Scottish Government’s proposed new law to ban “conversion practices”, because it provides such an illuminating microcosm of how far a once competent and widely-respected administration has fallen since 2015.
Emma Roddick, who is piloting the bill towards the statute books in much the same way that Mohamed Atta piloted American Airlines Flight 11 towards the World Trade Centre, is a 26-year-old who by her own admission suffers from a serious and debilitating mental illness that any sane country would regard as an insurmountable bar to political office.
The Scottish Government’s website about its controversial and extremely disturbing new “conversion practices” legislation assures citizens that the proposal was formed after consultation with an “Expert Advisory Group”.
But all of a sudden it doesn’t seem to want you to know who they were.
After yesterday’s disturbing article about the indoctrination of Scottish schoolchildren into transgender ideology via the Scottish Government’s proposed new “conversion practices” legislation, Wings was contacted by a number of current Scottish teachers telling us we had no idea how far it had already gone.
The message below was by no means untypical:
“This stuff around the UNCRC has been a concern for a while. Some of the articles seem to be being interpreted in ways they were never intended. It has become a vehicle for activist teachers to push their own agendas, all the while hiding behind ‘children’s rights’.
Getting certified is being pushed heavily in every school. Headteachers seem to be under a lot of pressure (coming from Scottish Government) to get it all implemented. We’re currently working towards silver.”
It’s from a 2018 BBC3 documentary called Becoming A Trans Man – Leo. The 15-year-old child in the video plays with a Rubik’s Cube as Wolton, who was 31 at the time, enthusiastically grooms her into transitioning into a “man”, advocating chest binders, a double mastectomy and the irreversible mutilation of her genitalia (“Lower surgery – you want that”) that will, Wolton confirms, lead to her permanent sterilisation, as well as the destruction of her future adult sexual function.
The BBC presents it as a heartwarming tale of friendship.
Mike Russell, currently at the centre of controversy over his appointment as chair of the Scottish Land Commission, hit the political big stage during Scotland’s first ever SNP administration under Alex Salmond, whom, in turn, Mike had previously seen into office as Salmond’s campaign manager.
In 2007 he was appointed as Minister for Environment, then in 2009 he became the Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, and his conventional ministerial career concluded when he went on to replace Fiona Hyslop as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning until the end of 2014.
Following the 2014 independence vote, the pre-referendum era ended with Salmond’s dignified (albeit temporary) stage exit; Nicola Sturgeon took the helm and began to reform what had been left to her by her predecessor.
A core pillar of Sturgeon’s centrist reform was the construction of an almost entirely opaque ivory tower of power from which both SNP and the state would run their covert affairs with subversive, centralizing, strong-arm granularity, cleverly camouflaging its sinister implications from the public through cult-of-personality media management.
Instrumental in this, among a very few select others, was Mike Russell.
It’s rather apt that this happened on the last day of the calendar. Because it truly is the rock-bottom moment in the grotesquely sullied history of the Scottish National Party.
We’ve heard that line somewhere before, haven’t we?
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Broken Rainbow: “Without questioning the validity of above expressed anger, it may – for balance – be timely to proffer a glimpse…” May 15, 01:41
Geri on The Broken Rainbow: “Anne, Just a heads up. There is a delay on posts appearing on this site. You have to give it…” May 15, 00:40
Del G on The Broken Rainbow: “Please could you analyse recent Westminster elections in the same fashion? % votes per party, no of seats, the no…” May 15, 00:40
Geri on The Broken Rainbow: “Wow Anne, I didn’t know that.” May 15, 00:30
Anne on The Broken Rainbow: “There was plenty of leafletting and campaigning however Craig did not communicate with anyone or offer to help in any…” May 15, 00:16
Anne on The Broken Rainbow: “There was plenty of leafletting and campaigning however Craig did not communicate with anyone or offer to help in any…” May 15, 00:15
Young Lochinvar on The Broken Rainbow: “Beggars Aye very good bumpkin. “Hatey” is stalking everyone on this site Adolf! Just not everyone appreciates it as you…” May 15, 00:14
Anne on The Broken Rainbow: “Murray accusing other candidates of anti trans views when he did not know any of them is extremely offensive and…” May 15, 00:07
Anne on The Broken Rainbow: “Addendum Murray accusing other candidates of anti trans views when he did not know any of them is extremely offensive…” May 15, 00:06
Geri on The Broken Rainbow: “I remember when I was sweet sixteen. I’d have voted for someone from MTV if they were standing for election.…” May 14, 23:59
Anne on The Broken Rainbow: “There was plenty of leafletting and campaigning however Craig did not communicate with anyone or offer to help in any…” May 14, 23:58
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Broken Rainbow: “———— SNP Emma Roddick 11,162 (30.4%) ———— Liberal Democrat Neil Alexander 10,735 (29.2%) ———— Independent FERGUS EWING 7,840 (21.3%) ————…” May 14, 23:57
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Broken Rainbow: “Craig Murray’s low vote was undoubtedly at least partly due to his being hospitalised with serious heart complications: « Now,…” May 14, 23:35
Mark Beggan on The Broken Rainbow: “You are stalking Hatey. Isn’t this fun.” May 14, 23:29
George Ferguson on The Broken Rainbow: “@Dan 11:01pm If Alba had stood then their polling of between 1 and 2 % would have held up. Far…” May 14, 23:22
Dan on The Broken Rainbow: “https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2026/05/dr-manivannan/ “The party I stood for, Alliance to Liberate Scotland, while having no formal position on the issue, featured mostly…” May 14, 23:01
Onlooker on The Broken Rainbow: “You’re wrong, get over it. And if I am wrong, I would freely admit it. You’re the one who probably…” May 14, 23:00
Geri on The Broken Rainbow: ““I’ll be cheering them on.” There’s a surprise, grand dad. From the safety of yer bedsit, no doubt. I’m glad…” May 14, 22:49
George Ferguson on The Broken Rainbow: “@Onlooker So the UK Government partner for Digital ID has not officially been announced. Euan Blairs apprentice Company is not…” May 14, 22:49
Onlooker on The Broken Rainbow: “Nope. https://fullfact.org/technology/digital-id-euan-blair/” May 14, 22:18
Onlooker on The Broken Rainbow: “32 entries so far on this page for that Hatey troll clown. Carry on, spammy nutbag!” May 14, 22:13
George Ferguson on The Broken Rainbow: “@Lorncal 8:50pm It is exactly the same for the UK Government. The King’s Speech called for Digital ID for citizens.…” May 14, 21:23
Northcode on The Broken Rainbow: “The swearing-in of Scotland’s MSPs is presented as a moment of democratic renewal, and yet the first act of the…” May 14, 21:04
Lorncal on The Broken Rainbow: “If any of the parties stood up for ordinary folk and refused to implement any of this ‘woke’ ordure, they…” May 14, 20:50
George Ferguson on The Broken Rainbow: “A lot of languages spoke today at the MSPs inauguration. It was almost like it wasn’t my country any more.…” May 14, 19:59
Young Lochinvar on The Broken Rainbow: “HMcH I know I told you to own yer homosexuality but hadn’t expected an invitation from you to go to…” May 14, 19:00
agentx on The Broken Rainbow: ““O’Neill was meeting Dave Doogan, the SNP leader at Westminster, and Liz Saville Roberts, the Plaid Cymru leader at Westminter.…” May 14, 17:12